Where to Stay in Spain

This is a personal guide to Spanish hotels that Steve has stayed in, with Ted and Colin, by his self or with Great Rail Journeys tour groups – the hope is that it might help people to plan a trip away from the Costas and get to know more of Spain.

It is arranged alphabetically by region, starting with Andalucía, and within each region alphabetically by town. Where relevant, the name of the province is in brackets after the town.

The focus is on comfortable, clean rooms and beds in a good location plus good service, and ambience.

It’s not about food or bar facilities. Many Spanish hotels only provide breakfast - if anything (many room rates are room only and breakfast is extra). Most of the time you’ll get a better value breakfast in the bar round the corner.

Steve has listed one or two hotels which he hasn’t stayed in, but friends have and have reported back – any other suggestions from your own experience are welcome. Finally, there are hotels which we visited many years ago. They are shaded grey and have been kept in the list because there is a story attached or it was a good hotel and there are up to date ratings on Trip Advisor and booking.com.

Enjoy the good places…….and avoid the bad ones.

Last updated February 2019 © Copyright Steve Gillon 2016-19

Parador Gil Blas, Santillana del Mar

These notes will help:

Telephone numbers: From outside Spain the prefix is 00 34 then dial the nine figure number. Inside Spain dial the nine figure number.

Websites and booking: The websites are the hotels own sites which can usually be used for booking. A few are in Spanish only. Most can be booked via booking.com, expedia or similar sites.

Official ratings are the Spanish Tourist Board star ratings from one to five stars.

SandT rating. The Steve and Ted rating system is as follows:

0/5 Avoid like the plague

1/5 Marginally better…but only if there is nowhere else, it is too late and/or you are too broke to get out of town

2/5 Well… It is clean enough…..but that’s about it 3/5 Totally acceptable…..but not exceptional. Pretty bland – most branded hotels

run by large hotel companies and their franchisees will fall into this category 4/5 An excellent hotel with plenty of character

5/5 Go out of your way to stay here….and sod the expense

Price rating: € It doesn’t matter how cheap it is…it is not worth it €€ cheap as chips…marginally less greasy, or occasionally just excellent value. €€€ mid-priced €€€€ pricey…try to get a good deal online €€€€€ expensive…. But could be a rip-off, could be worth every euro.

The recommended hotels: The best places to stay are where the SandT rating is higher than or equal to the price rating.

Hotel Finca Los Llanos Capileira (Granada), Andalucia

ANDALUCíA Algeciras (Cádiz)

Hotel Inglaterra

Avda Villanueva 7

Tel: n.a. www. n.a.

Official rating: ** SandT rating: 0/5 Price: € Fortunately now demolished Colin and Steve stayed here in 1988. It may have been OK in the 1940s but had deteriorated since then. Falling apart and filthy, particularly the toilets, run by an ancient screaming queen who had also seen far better days – his pinny and make-up in a worse state than the toilets. It was only 3500 pesetas. Arcos de la Frontera (Cádiz)

Hotel El Convento

c/ Maldonado 2, 11630 Arcos de la Frontera

Tel: 956 70 23 33 www.hotelelconvento.es

Official rating: ** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€ Fairly simple but tremendously atmospheric hotel in a former convent in the old town. Good views from many rooms. In February 2019 rated 4.5 (out of 5) on Trip Advisor and 8.9 (out of 10) on booking.com

near Ardales (Málaga)

La Posada del Conde

Barrio Conde de Guadalhorce 16-18, 29550 Pantano del Chorro, Ardales

Tel: 952 11 24 11 www.hoteldelconde.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: n.a. Price: €€€ We have had a drink and food here but haven’t stayed overnight. Friends stayed there in 2018 and enjoyed it. It is in a tremendous situation by the dams in the El Chorro lakes/reservoirs national park and close to the Caminito del Rey. Modern hotel but built and decorated in traditional rustic style. In February 2019 rated 3.5 on Trip Advisor and 8.0 on booking.com

Benalmádena Pueblo (Málaga)

Hotel Casa Rosa

Pensamiento 31, 29639 Benalmádena

Tel: 952 56 80 47 www.hostalcasarosa.com

Official rating: * SandT rating: n.a. Price: € Friends have stayed here. Excellent rooms, views over the village, tremendous breakfasts. In May 2016 rated 5 on Trip Advisor and 9 on booking.com

The pool and the view from Hotel La Catedral, Cadiz

Cádiz (Cádiz)

(1) Hotel la Catedral

Plaza de la Catedral 9, 11005 Cadiz

Tel: 956 29 11 42 www.hotellacatedral.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€

Small comfortable and friendly hotel in central but quiet location - front rooms directly face the cathedral. Small rooftop infinity pool. Breakfast included. Stayed there in 2019. Excellent value.

(2) A hostal that we can’t remember the name of, but it was in the Rough Guide at the time, in the days when it was rough (198?) Address – not a clue

Tel: n.a. www. didn’t exist then

Official rating: n.a SandT rating: 0/5 Price: € We asked for a room ‘con baño’ and it did have a bath…in the middle of the floor, unconnected to any water supply….and the water in the toilets down the hall was cut off for 12 hours overnight anyway. Busy pedestrian street outside…with a busker playing the same ******* tune repeatedly underneath our window until 3am.

Capileira (Granada)

Hotel Finca Los Llanos

c/Sierra Nevada s/n, 18413 Capileira

Tel: 958 76 30 71 www.hotelfincalosllanos.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€ Excellent hotel in traditional style in a scenic mountain village ideal for walking holidays in the Alpujarras. Comfortable room, many with balconies with view, excellent breakfasts, friendly staff. Gardens and pool. Excellent value for money. Stayed there in 2018. Córdoba (Córdoba)

(1) Hotel NH Córdoba Guadalquivir (formerly Hesperia Córdoba)

Avda. Fray Albino 1, 14009 Córdoba

Tel: 957 42 10 42 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€ Excellent situation by the river, across the Roman bridge from the mosque / cathedral. Tremendous views from rooms overlooking river. Near to tourist sites though a taxi journey from station and walk from modern city. Modern, chain hotel – very comfortable, not particularly full of character, friendly staff, safes, gardens and outdoor pool in summer. Steve and Ted have stayed there with GRJ groups and by themselves, most recently in January 2017. Check online – some very cheap deals.

(2) Hotel Marisa.

c/ Cardenal Herrero 6

Tel: 957 47 31 42 www.hotelmarisacordoba.es

Official rating: ** SandT rating: out of date Price: €€ In Jewish quarter of the old town, directly across the road from the mosque / cathedral. Old building, pretty patio. Simple rooms. When we stayed there was no air-con or double glazing and the atonal cathedral bells rang every 15 minutes. ALL night. It has since been much improved though street noise seems to be a problem in some rooms. In February 2019 rated 3.5 on Trip Advisor and 8.5 on booking.com. Friends stayed in Jan 2016 and were happy with it (and they didn’t notice the bells).

near El Chorro (Málaga)

See Ardales, above

Granada (Granada)

(1) Hotel NH Granada Centro (formerly the Hespería Granada)

Pl. Gamboa s/n, 18009 Granada

Tel: 958 01 84 00 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€ Recommended for its very central position, close to everything – the main sites, good tapas bars etc. Old building nicely converted into modern hotel. Chain hotel comfortable – good bathrooms, beds etc. No bar or food except breakfast. Some rooms can be noisy, particularly at weekends. Check online for very cheap deals – best combination of position, quality and price in Granada. Stayed there regularly, most recently in November 2015.

(2) Hostal Lisboa

Plaza del Carmen 27, 18009 Granada

Tel: 958 22 14 13 www none

Official rating: ? SandT rating: 1/5 Price: €€ We stayed here on our first visit to Granada in 1992 when it was shabby and rundown. What we didn’t know at first is that next door is the regional headquarters of the lottery ONCE, who employ mainly people with disabilities. They used it, and we were faced with an assortment of blind, deaf, dumb and limbless people partying in the corridors until the early hours (and given the state of the Spanish health service in the Franco era there were some very nasty disabilities). Once we found out about ONCE it wasn’t so bizarre, but pretty grotty nonetheless – no air-con and hot and sticky in summer. It has now closed. Not a great loss – and the ONCE people deserved better.

(3) Hotel Meliá Granada

C/Angel Ganivet 7, 18009 Granada

Tel: 958 227 400 www.solmelia.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€€ Modern hotel, aimed at business people – too many suits around. 232 rooms, some with views of the Alhambra. Very comfortable, but very corporate – could be anywhere. Stayed there with GRJ groups several times, most recently in 2015. (4) Hotel Reina Cristina

C/ Tablas 4, 18002 Granada

Tel: 958 25 32 11 www.hotelreinacristina.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€€ Modern hotel, fairly central but quiet. All modern amenities, air-conditioning etc, decent tapas bar, not much character. Cheap deals off-season.

Huelva (Huelva)

Hotel NH Luz Huelva

Alamada Sundheim 26, 21003 Huelva

Tel 959 25 00 11 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Modern chain hotel, comfortable but bland. Fairly central. Good value for money. Stayed there in 2018.

Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz)

Hotel NH Avenida Jerez

Avda Alcalde Alvaro Domecq 10, 11405 Jerez

Tel 956 34 74 11 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Standard modern chain hotel though very good value for money. Rooms are large and comfortable. King size bed. A bit of a walk from city centre but on bus route. Stayed there in 2019. Málaga (Málaga)

Hotel Tryp Alameda

Avenida de la Aurora 25, 29002 Málaga

Tel: 952 36 80 20 www.solmelia.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€-€€€€ Modern chain hotel next to Larios shopping centre and close to train and bus stations. Characterless but OK for a stopover. Look for cheap deals online. Ronda (Málaga)

(1) Hotel Catalonia Reina Victoria

c/ Jerez 25, 29400 Ronda Tel: 952 87 12 40 www.hoteles-catalonia.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€€ Historic top of the range hotel. Newly modernized by Catalonia Hotels chain. Fairly central with tremendous views over the surrounding countryside from the public areas and some rooms. Very comfortable rooms and beds. Free-wifi and excellent breakfasts. Spa and ‘wellness’ facilities. Stayed there with a GRJ group in 2015.

(2) Hotel Maestranza

c/ Virgen de la Paz 24, 29400 Ronda

Tel: 952 18 70 72 www.hotelmaestranza.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Medium sized, privately run, modern hotel. Ideal location – central, close to bullring, plenty of restaurants and bars nearby. Comfortable and quiet. Friendly staff. Steve and Ted stayed there with GRJ groups.

Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cádiz)

Posada de Palacio

c/ Caballeros 9-11, 11540 Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Tel: 956 36 48 40 www.posadadepalacio.com

Official rating *** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€ Atmospheric old house in the centre of the old part of town. Very friendly staff. Some rooms on the roof with a large outside rooftop patio. Booking.com 8.0, Trip Advisor 3.5, in February 2019. Sevilla / Seville (Sevilla)

(1) Hotel Amadeus

c/ Farnesio 6, 41004 Sevilla

Tel: 954 50 14 43 www.hotelamadeussevilla.com

Official rating: ** SandT rating: 5/5 Price: €€€€ Eighteenth century house in Santa Cruz, handy for everything but quiet. Rooms full of antiques on a musical (Mozart) theme. Official rating does not do it justice.

Sevilla / Seville continued

(2) Hotel Bécquer

Reyes Católicos 4, 41001 Sevilla

Tel: 954 22 89 90 www.hotelbecquer.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Centrally located but quiet, modern hotel, but privately run and friendly. Rooftop swimming pool and sundeck. Breakfast room. Beauty treatments include an English Brazilian (?) and a Scottish shower (!). Helpful staff. Steve and Ted stayed there with GRJ tour groups, most recently in 2015.

(3) Hotel NH Sevilla Viapol

Balbino Marrón 9, 41018 Sevilla

Tel: 954 64 52 54 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Modern hotel slightly out of centre but next to San Bernardo train station and tram terminus so convenient for centre. Comfortable, friendly and very cheap deals (including breakfast) online outside main tourist season. Stayed there most recently in 2018.

Úbeda (Jaén)

Parador de Ubeda - Hotel Condestable Dávalos

Plaza Vazquez de Molina s/n, 23400 Úbeda

Tel: 953 75 03 45 www.parador.es

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 5/5 Price: €€€€ Sixteenth century parador in the old heart of the city, internal courtyard, 36 large rooms full of antiques. Very impressive. February 2019 rating on Trip Advisor 4, booking.com 8.7

ARAGÓN

Zaragoza (Zaragoza)

Hotel NH Ciudad de Zaragoza

Avda. César Augusto 125, 50003, Zaragoza

Tel: 913 98 46 61 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€

Modern hotel, opened recently, with great views from front rooms over the historic centre of Zaragoza (pay the extra – it is worth it. Central – close to everything. Tram

stop outside. Stayed there most recentlyin 2017.

ASTURIAS

Oviedo

Gran Hotel Regente

c/Jovellanos 31, 31003 Oviedo Tel: 985 22 23 43 www.granhotelregente.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Modern hotel, across road from old city and cathedral and close to the sidrerias (Cider bars). Grand hotel is a bit of an exaggeration but we found it comfortable and good value for a four star hotel. The gap site around the back where prostitutes took their clients (in full view of our window) has now been built on. February 2019 Trip Advisor rating 3, booking.com 8.0

Illas BALEARS / Islas BALEARES

Palma de Mallorca (Mallorca)

Hotel Araxa

Pilar Juncosa 22, 07141 Palma(Mallorca)

Tel: 971 73 16 40 www.hotelaraxa.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Modern hotel, in quiet residential area a bus ride from the city centre. Large gardens and outdoor pool, rooms with balconies. Not exceptional but good value for money – cheap online deals may be available. Sóller (Mallorca)

Hotel Cal Bisbe

Bisbe Nadal 10, 07100 Sóller (Mallorca)

Tel: 971 63 12 28 www.hotelcalbisbe.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€€ Lovely hotel in converted nineteenth century bishops residence. 25 large rooms, many with balconies overlooking outdoor pool and gardens. Friendly staff. Only marked down from 4/5 because we both suffered from the air conditioning.

Islas CANARIAS

Los Cristianos (Tenerife)

Apartamentos Costamar

Avda. Juan Carlos I 40, 38650 Los Cristianos, Arona, (Tenerife)

Tel: 685 59 79 42 (agency) www.apartamentoscostamar.com

Official rating: * SandT rating: 2/5 Price: €€€€ Apartments in 1960s block which is showing its age. Public areas gloomy. Quality may vary depending on apartment owner. Ours was basic, including the beds, but clean and had balcony with views over harbor. Would be OK for a one night stay prior to catching flight or ferry, but not for a longer visit. Stayed there in 2017.

San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Tenerife)

Sogno di Gió Casa Vacanze

c/la Isa 40, 38108 San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Tenerife)

Tel: 922 87 54 20 www.sognodegiolalaguna.com

Official rating: n/a (B&B) SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€€ Luxury bed and breakfast run by Italian couple. Room, bathroom, bed all excellent. Expensive (for someone on their own), though prices include breakfast. Balcony with sea view (just). Spotlessly clean. Tram stop close by for easy access to Santa Cruz and La Laguna. Stayed there in 2017.

San Sebastián de la Gomera (La Gomera)

Hotel Villa Gomera

Ruiz de Padron 68, 38800 San Sebastián de la Gomera

Tel: 922 87 00 20 www.hotelvilla.gomera.com

Official rating: ** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Small hotel in centre of San Sebastian, but fairly quiet area. Good base to explore the island. Reasonable level of comfort for the price. No lift (rooms on 3 floors). Friendly owner. Stayed there in 2017.

Santa Cruz de la Palma (La Palma)

Hotel Castillete

Avenida Maritima 75, 38700 Santa Cruz de la Palma

Tel: 922 42 08 40 www.hotelcastillete.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€ Aparthotel, so rooms have cooker, fridge etc. On sea front with balconies to almost all rooms. Can’t fault the price - €40 a night for up to three people. Public cafeteria on ground floor so ordinary prices for breakfast, beer, coffee. Not luxury but comfortable. About 10 minutes from town centre, in nice area with café-bars, small supermarket nearby. Stayed there in 2017.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife)

NH Tenerife

Candelaria Esquina Doctor Allart s/n, 38003 Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Tel: 922 53 44 22 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€€ Modern hotel in centre of Santa Cruz, in quiet location. Quite pricey for NH, but there are not many hotels in town. Very comfortable. Stayed there in 2017.

CANTABRIA

Santillana del Mar

Parador de Santillana, Hotel Gil Blas

Plaza Ramón Pelayo s/n, 39330 Santillana del Mar

Tel: 942 81 80 00 www.parador.es

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 5/5 Price: €€€€ Insist on a room in the main building not the annexe. Tremendous old palace in a stunning village. Rooms huge and luxurious – various presidents had slept in our bed. Lovely garden also. Makes you want to stay in the hotel rather than head out. February 2019 Trip Advisor rating 4, booking.com 8.6.

CASTILLA – LA MANCHA

Cuenca (Cuenca)

NH Ciudad de Cuenca

Ronda San Jose 1, 16004 Cuenca

Tel :969 23 05 02 www.nh-hotels.com Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: € € Modern business hotel in the newer part of the city. There are more atmospheric places in the old city but this hotel can be very cheap for the level of comfort. Stayed there most recently in 2017.

CASTILLA y LEóN

Ciudad Rodrigo (Salamanca)

Hospedería Audiencia Real

Plaza Mayor 17, 37500 Ciudad Rodrigo

Tel: 923 48 10 93 www.audenciareal.com

Official rating: ** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€ Tremendous small hotel on the main square of this historic small town. Full of character and the owner is very friendly. No food but a decent café-bar next door. Syayed there in 2016.

León (León)

Hotel NH Collection León Plaza Mayor

Plaza Mayor 15-17, 24000 León

Tel: 987 34 43 57 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€ Good hotel in a historic building on the Plaza Mayor. Wide range of rooms including some directly overlooking the square. Very comfortable and clean. Stayed there in 2016. Salamanca (Salamanca)

Hotel Alameda Palace

Paseo de la Estación 1, 37004 Salamanca

Tel: 923 28 26 26 www.hotelalamadapalace.com

Official rating: ***** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€€ Luxury hotel, on the main square (Plaza de Espaňa) and close to the historic centre. Everything top quality – a bit over the top (the showers require a PhD and the movement sensor lighting can be a bit irrational). Rooms and beds very comfortable. Excellent food also. Stayed there with GRJ tour groups Zamora (Zamora)

Hostería Real de Zamora

c/ Cuesta del Pizarro 7, 49027 Zamora

Tel:980 04 50 31 www.hosteriarealdezamora.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€

400 year old hotel by the Rio Duero. Quiet location but close to city centre. We had a tremendous room where we could sit and watch sunset over the river. Friendly and comfortable when we were there 1995. More recently received bad reviews and closed. Now reopen under new management. February 2019 TripAdvisor 3.0 and booking .com 7.9.

CATALUNYA / CATALUÑA

Barcelona (Barcelona)

(1) Hotel Tryp Apolo

Avda. Paralelo 57-59, 08004 Barcelona

Tel: 933 43 30 00 www.tryp-apolo.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€€ Very large business and tourist hotel, fairly central and next to Paral-lel metro. Comfortable but bland. Friendly staff though. Stayed there with GRJ groups.

Barcelona continued

(2) Hotel Catalonia Aragón

C/Aragón 569bis, 08026 Barcelona

Tel: 932 45 89 05 www.hoteles-catalonia.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€€ Modern hotel in an area called Clot. A little out of the centre, on main road and handy for metro. Comfortable and bland

Rosas / Roses (Girona / Gerona)

Hotel Almadraba Park

Avinguda Diaz Pacheco 70, Platja de l’Almadraba, 17480 Roses

Tel: 972 256 550 www.almadrabapark.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€€ Great Rail Journeys use this hotel as the base for a stay on the Catalan coast. Luxurious, fairly modern, large rooms, extensive gardens above beach, huge outdoor swimming pool, excellent food. A bit out of town but tremendous views over the bay of Roses. Stayed there with GRJ groups, most recently in 2014.

Tarragona (Tarragona)

Hotel SB Ciutat de Tarragona

Plaça de la Imperial Tàrraco 5, 43005 Tarragona

Tel: 977 25 09 99 www.hotelciutatdetarragona.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€€ Modern hotel, directly above the bus station. Central for the modern city but bit of a walk to the old town and the railway station. Staff a bit supercilious – obviously thought Ted and I were lowering the tone. Comfortable enough. Stayed there in 2017.

COMMUNITAT VALENCIANA / COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA

Alacant / Alicante (Alacant / Alicante)

NH Rambla de Alicante

Tomás López Torregrosa 11, 03002 Alicante

Tel: 965 14 36 59 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Central, modern hotel. Not the best in the NH chain but comfortable enough. Rooms at front would have been noisy. Several cheap places for breakfast nearby. Stayed there in 2017.

Benidorm (Alacant / Alicante)

Unknown hotel

Somewhere in Benidorm

Tel:? www. ?

Official rating: ? SandT rating: 2/5 Price: free for me! Steve was here in 1974 on a Scottish Education Department funded study visit to study tourism on his first visit to Spain….at the time Spain was extremely cheap and we spent the week getting extremely drunk. Skyscraper, near Levante beach…that’s all I can remember.

València (València)

Hotel Sorolla Centro

Convento Santa Clara 7, 46002 Valencia

Tel:963 52 33 92 www.hotelsorollacentro.com

Official rating: *** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Modern business hotel, central and close to the railway station, but in a pedestrianized street so quiet though plenty of decent bars and restaurants nearby. Rooms comfortable. Exactly what you would expect. Stayed there in 2014 and 2015.

EUSKADI / PAÍS VASCO

Bilbo / Bilbao (Biskaia / Viscaya)

Hotel Zabalburu

c/Pedro Martínez Artola 8, 48012 Bilbao

Tel: 944 43 71 00 www.hotelzabalburu.com

Official rating: ** SandT rating: 2/5 Price: €€€ Modern, central and clean, nothing special, but in 2010, says the website, renovated and transformed into a boutique hotel dedicated to photography. Very mixed reviews - in February 2019 rated 2.5 on Trip Advisor, 6.9 on booking.com Donostia / San Sebastián (Gipuzkoa / Guipúzcoa))

Hotel de Londres y del Inglaterra

c/ Zubieta 2, 20007 Donostia – San Sebastián

Tel: 943 44 07 70 www.hlondres.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 5/5 Price: €€€€

Nineteenth century, neoclassical,hotel, in the city centre and on the la Concha beach promenade. Modernised, but kept the best of the older features. Friendly. Good bar. Excellent base to explore the city, which is the foodie capital of Spain. Steve stayed there with GRJ tour groups.

EXTREMADURA

Badajoz (Badajoz)

NH Gran Hotel Casino Extremadura

c/ Adolfo Diaz Ambrona 11, 06006 Badajoz

Tel 924 28 44 02 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: ***** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€ Modern five star hotel and casino complex, just across the river from the historic city centre. Not a great deal of character but the room was luxurious for an extraordinarily cheap price, though it was out of season. Stayed there in 2018

Cáceres (Cáceres)

Unknown hostal

c/Rios Verdes, 10003 Cáceres

Tel:? www.?

Official rating: ? SandT rating: 0/5 Price: € Not certain, but it could have been the Pension Castilla at c/Rios Verdes 3, a one- star pension, but it looks far too upmarket on the online pictures. This was a grade A dump, which was uncomfortable and noisy all night. Avoid.

Mérida (Badajoz)

Hotel Rambla Emerita

Rambla Mártir Santa Eulalia 17, 06800 Mérida

Tel: 924 38 72 31 www.hotelemerita.com

Official rating: ** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€ Modern hotel, central and close to main Roman monuments. Not a great deal of character but friendly enough. Stayed there in 2016

Trujillo (Cáceres)

Hotel NH Trujillo Palacio de Santa Marta

Ballesteros 6, 10200 Trujillo

Tel: 927 65 91 90 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€ Hotel in old palace, above the plaza Mayor and below the castle in excellent old town. Comfortable rooms, modernized but keeping character. Excellent value and friendly staff. Stayed there in 2016

GALICIA

A Coruňa / La Coruňa (A Coruňa / La Coruňa)

Hesperia A Coruňa

Juan Florez 16, 15004 A Coruňa

Tel: 913 98 46 64 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€ Modern hotel, in the modern city centre, and close to beaches. Standard business hotel. Stayed there in 2014.

Ferrol (A Coruňa / La Coruňa)

Hotel Carrís Almirante

c/ María 2, 15402 Ferrol Tel: 981 33 30 73 www.carrishoteles.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€ Modern hotel in the town centre. Comfortable, and cheap for the quality of the accommodation. Stayed there in 2014. And Ferrol isn’t as bad as guide books make out. .

Lugo (Lugo)

Hotel Méndez Nuñez

Rua da Raina 1, 27001 Lugo

Tel: 982 23 07 11 www.hotelmendeznunez.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€ Modern hotel, run on very traditional lines. Just off the main square on pedestrian street. Most rooms have balconies. We were given a suite and most of the rooms look large. My rate included an excellent breakfast. Stayed there in 2016.

Pontevedra (Pontevedra)

Parador de Pontevedra, Hotel Casa del Barón

Rúa del Barón 19, 36002 Pontevedra

Tel: 986 85 58 00 www.parador.es

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 4/5 Price: €€€€ Sixteenth century renaissance palace in centre of historic town. Large and luxurious rooms full of antiques. Booking.com 8.4, TripAdvisor 4.0, in February 2019.

Santiago de Compostela (A Coruňa / La Coruňa)

Hostal Alameda

Rúa San Clemente 32, 15705 Santiago de Compostela

Tel: 981 58 81 00 www.hostalalamedasantiago.com

Official rating: ** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€ Fairly basic hostal, but good location in quiet area close to cathedral. Good café/bar also. Cheap for a major tourist destination. 8.3 on booking.com, 3.5 on Trip Advisor February 2019.

MADRID

Madrid (Madrid)

(1) Hotel NH Nacional

Paseo del Prado 48, 28014 Madrid

Tel: 914 29 66 29 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€€ Modernised hotel in 100 year old building, close to Atocha station, the Prado and other main museums and galleries. Walking distance to city centre. Comfortable, large rooms. Good air –con so insulated from outside noise. Breakfast only but plenty of nearby places to eat, from a Macdonalds on the ground floor upwards. Stayed there with GRJ groups, and friends stayed there in 2016.

(2) Hotel Ritz

Plaza de la Lealtad 5, 28014 (Madrid) Tel: 917 01 67 67 www.mandarinoriental.com

Official rating: *****GL SandT rating: na Price: €€€€€€€

The oldest deluxe hotel in Madrid. On our visit in 1992 (for lunch only!) the buffet lunch was over £30. It looks impressive, but don’t think we’ll be staying there. Closed until late 2019 for major renovations. Most recent rating on Trip Advisor 4.5.

(3) Hotel NH Sanvy

c/Goya 3, 28001 Madrid Tel: 915 76 08 00 www.nh-hotels.com

Official rating: **** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€€ Fairly central, all mod cons, friendly, but no character. Stayed there with a GRJ tour group.

(4) Hotel Wellington

c/ Velazquez 8, 28001 Madrid

Tel: 915 75 44 00 www.hotel-wellington.com

Official rating: ***** SandT rating: 3/5 Price: €€€€€ Large hotel in1952 neo-classical building. Fairly central in very upmarket area near Retiro Park. Colin was smuggled in while Steve was staying here for a conference. Main memorable feature was that the bathroom was for two – two toilet pans side by side. May 2016 – Trip Advisor rating 4.5, booking.com 8.9.

Hotel NH Collection, Leon Plaza Mayor

The regions (autonomous communities) of Spain. From www.gifex.com via Google Images.